Gwen's Secret - Crawlers Part 7
by Awatere11
Summary: So she is hiding something that might stir things up a bit and explain her...weirdness. Some may have guessed but you will all know by the time this one is over that changes need to be made Alt Verse.
1. Chapter 1

1

They reached the homestead and Ianto was pleased to find it fully fenced, a keen gardener who was not going to let wandering stock into their flowers so they were assured a crawler free area to park in, the gates closed and Crypto took off with Ianto to check the perimeters as Jack went inside and returned to tell them no one was home.

Either they had wandered off or not been home during the event. Given the fact the gates were shut they all agreed it was probably the latter, Owen sliding from the SUV looking sheepish at hiding in there but arguing he was looking after Mica.

Ianto gave him that one.

The house had belonged to what seemed to be a middle-aged couple, kids either grown or never had any as the photos could have been nephews. Mica still seemed excited to find a box of toys under the stairs that had been kept for when they visited and Owen helped her load it into the SUV as Ianto raided the pantry.

I'm gonna check the out buildings" Jack called out and Owen grunted as he followed leaving Ianto and Mica to ransack the house which she enjoyed a lot.

"Uncle?"

"Yes love?"

"They are gone?"

Yes love" Ianto knelt to face her, "Whoever lived here seems to have been away."

"At the baby thing" she pointed and Ianto turned to find something in the fridge.

Of course the fringe door, the universal notice board and he rose, plucking the invitation to the baby shower from a magnet for Brains Beer. Ianto stared at the magnet then grinned, slipping it into his pocket as he knew both Rhys and Owen would like it…one for the Brains as in human…the other for Brains as in beer. Speaking of which …. Ah! Bingo.

"Here baby, go tell uncle Owen I found some brains" Ianto said pointing at the beer and she giggled as she got the joke, running off to scare the man and Ianto laughed softly as he hooked out a crate of the stuff, some wine and a bottle of Jack Daniels he knew Jack would crow over.

He then went though the freezer, partially defrosted but had kept pretty good with no one here to open it and the bottles of frozen water had helped prolong things as well. A lot of food they would be welcome of.

Owen ran into the house with a frenzied look, then saw the crate and started to laugh, pointing at it as he spluttered that the little cow was as bad as her uncle for games. Mica found that a wonderful thing for him to say.

Crypto padded upstairs and emerged pulling a large fluffy blanket he was obviously hoping to procure for their room and she clapped as she rushed to help, picking it up so it didn't drag as they headed for the SUV and Jack grinned, "Look at them, a couple of pirates. He's a good stick, that fella."

"He is, I am fond of him meself" Ianto smiled softly as he looked at Jack, "But… I think you are the pick of the litter sir."

Jack preened for a while as he grinned, showing his teeth could shine as good as Crypto's.

Jack found some tools that might be good, seeds and such as well as a pretty good motorbike that had been a project but seemed about finished. Jack said he could get it going as Owen made noises and then pointed to a rickety trailer they could tow with it on, the trailer now a great addition as they placed potting mix and other garden implements on it they might use to sustain their own food a bit more.

They seemed to be getting somewhere and Ianto felt the first tendrils of hope that they might just make it.

Right?

Jack seemed to hear and pulled him close, their bodies fitting, as did their mouths and Ianto moaned as he gave into Jack, letting him bend him back slightly as he devoured him like a succubus.

"Uncle Jack, stop slobbering on him" Mica said as she walked past, "I swear to god, as bad as Crypto when he sees a bowl if fresh stew."

Jack released Ianto and blinked at the little snot as Ianto sniggered and whispered that Jack was the hot one, gaining another kiss as Jack decided to ignore her.

Crypto barked to tell them they were done and they all agreed as Ianto politely closed the door, still half hoping the occupants might return one day even as he knew they wouldn't. Like whistling when going past the graveyard, as long as you can keep that thought, it might come true.

Right?

"You are in a good mood" Owen said as he stepped back to let Mica in and Ianto grinned at him.

"I've decided."

"Yeah?" Owen canted his head before going to open the gates, "Decided what?"

"I like you."

Owen seemed to walk on air, the simple yet solid statement meant more than he thought it might.

He liked him too.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Crypto headed for the barn the moment they got back and as everyone pulled stuff from the back of the SUV he returned with a look of thunder.

"Bad?" Ianto whispered and the grunt of reply was enough for him to abandon the unpacking and follow him to one side where the scanner sat. "You found it, in the barn?"

Crypto nodded and Ianto looked at everyone crowding around the SUV, Gwen in there trying to argue that she needed that 'blanket the bloody kid was clinging to' and knew Jack would put his foot down any second so he motioned, "Let's go see."

Ianto entered the barn with the sidearm out, pointed down as he stalked from stall to stall but found only bored animals and food. He checked the loft, then the tack room, "OK I give up. Where was it?"

Crypto went to the room the little cage was still in, pushed to one side and sat as Ianto frowned and looked around, "But… why?"

Crypto didn't know either but vowed to find out as they rejoined everyone without being missed, except for Jack who raised his eyebrows and Ianto nodded to show he would tell him later.

"OH WOW!" Rhys boomed, "Pie dishes!"

Now the conversation turned to food as they decided what some future meals might be and Jack slid around to prod Ianto.

"Scanner was in the barn" Ianto hissed, "Crypto sez Gwen's' smell all over it. In the room we have the little crawler in, but why did she need it after the thing was gone?"

Jack frowned, "Doesn't make sense to me either. She went a bit rancid after the procedure but it's not like we are gonna do it twice, it showed the entire thing was gone."

"Don't know, maybe she's scared it will grow back and is checking for herself?" Ianto shrugged, "I mean…it will not with the quarterisation that thing does but did we explain that to her fully?"

"Erg, point" Jack grimaced, "Wanna to Paper Rock Scissors to see who has to talk to her?"

Ianto rolled his eye, "For the love of the gods, I will do it ya pussy."

Jack blinked then grinned as the cheeky kitty walked away, that tiger the only one deserving to flick his whickers and Jack glanced over at Owen, waving the scanner at him, "Look what Crypto fond the clever fella."

Owen bustled over and snatched at it with relief, "Thought I was gonna have to lay down and tantrum for it, thought maybe that might help."

"No need, unless you want to. Crypto might like some entertainment" Jack quipped as Owen snorted and headed off to check the calibrations, now alarmed that it might be damp or something.

He plugged it in and muttered as he found the battery completely flat and left it to charge as Ianto approached Gwen who was helping Tosh put some of the gardening supplies away.

"We found the scanner" he said with fake excitement, "Seems it was in the barn here, someone must have forgotten they popped it down when checking the stock or something."

Tosh looked at him, knowing it was a lie but she played along as she knew who it was probably for "What a relief. He can stop going on about it like a kid who lost his dummy."

They both watched Gwen's look of horror as she turned and looked at the little room then try to act like she hadn't, so Ianto decided to push, "So Owen has it now checking the data, will we know in no time flat who the silly bugger was that had it last and why."

He had expected Gwen to be angry, maybe even embarrassed but he had not expected her cry of alarm as she took off running out of the barn and Ianto canted his head as he stared at her retreating figure, "Well look at that. A rare running Gwen Beast."

Tosh snorted, "What do you think she really had it for?"

"Jack and I thought maybe she was scared her appendix might grow back and agreed we should have explained that the procedure took more of the entire thing so nothing was left behind to do so but now… she was a bit too frantic for just a preventative action don't ya think?"

"Shit" Tosh said with a sigh, "Let's go see."

"I am glad you are here, didn't want to be alone but hell's teeth I want some time out sometimes" Ianto grumbled as they walked towards the house, "She needs a time out too … out there."

Tosh shoved at him and giggled then they went in to find Gwen sobbing as she demanded Owen destroy it or give it back telling them all that it was her personal details on it she was objecting to, she hadn't given permission for them to take a full body scan blah blah blah…

Crypto frowned as he listened, then looked at the thing still charging.

Full body scan was done?

He shuffled over and nudged it then growled with frustration as he saw he would need at least some fingers then let his paw mutate into a hairy hand, tapping the scanner to see what she was up to with it.

Well.

That…wow.

Didn't expect that one.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto slipped into the room and watched as Gwen rampaged and then she went to swipe the scanner only to find Crypto had it and was backing away with a snarl, his face contorted as he tried to figure something out. He knew he almost had it, still glancing down at the screen.

"Gwen, take another step towards my friend and I will shoot you" Ianto said calmly, as he finally remembered the gun in his hand and she swung to gape at him.

"Me? You would…me?"

"Well I am not about to shoot the one who has saved me countless times both literally and metaphorically am I" Ianto replied calmly, "I will ask you one more time then decide which limb to aim for and believe me honey …. My aim is amazing."

Gwen turned to Jack, "Would you let him do that? Just shoot an unarmed woman? A …"

" _Pregnant one"_ Crypto finished for her, _"It looks like a pup in there."_

"Ahhhh shit" Owen said softly as Rhys whooped , seizing her up as he rejoiced.

"Ya silly mare, oh gods! A baby, really? All this bullshit cos you are preggers?" he laughed, "Oh god!"

Ianto looked at Jack who was thinking the same thing as he said softly, "You were partially changed."

"What?" Rhys tuned to put her on her feet with confusing, "what do you mean"

"The virus, partial change within her, we took the appendix so she wouldn't turn but… if it was in her system…" Owen pointed, "Have you ever heard of a baby born without an appendix mate?"

Rhys paled as he looked at Owen who reached for the scanner, "let's just see if it's growing normally yeah? Let's not panic. If this thing has a course who's to sat it's not passed? Maybe the airborne whatever is gone before it comes…we can't panic for the bloody sake of it, won't help anyone."

"Shit" Ianto sat heavily as he considered, "Right, there are some possible outcomes. Either this virus has done it's job and is no longer airborne…no longer present and as the baby didn't even have lungs it is unaffected or…the things out there are infectious and being near or getting touched might still change the baby if we come in contract with one. No way to know that….ah…."

"Or it's infected and will grow as one of those things" Owen finished without thinking and Gwen started to hyperventilate as she stared at Owen.

"Wow." Ianto said sagely, "You really are a twat aren't you."

Owen looked at him then blanched, "Shit, sorry Gwen that sounded….cold, nah sorry. Look….let's plat devil's advocate and say it's infected already…it wouldn't grow right? I mean those things are sort of dead so if your baby were infected in there…it would not have grown since the last scan, right Tosh?"

Tosh nodded "That' a fair assumption, yes. I would agree, if we do a scan and it shows normal growth and an increase in size since the last scan I would voye for the fact it is still uninfected."

"OK" Jack crouched and looked at Gwen with a hand on her knee, "Agree? We scan and check if it had progressed, if it has we move forward with the assumption that it is not infected yet then look at scenarios."

She nodded mutely and Owen waved the scanner then sat looking at the screen as Crypto looked over his shoulder and Ianto sat watching without saying a word, the way Crypto has positioned himself between Gwen and Owen telling him he would know if the baby was infected by Crypto's reaction …. Probably hostile towards Gwen and the threat within.

When he moved away Ianto let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and Gwen saw, her eyes sliding to Rhys who was moving from foot to foot nervously as he wrung his hands, "Well?"

"Baby has progressed since the last scan…healthy heartbeat and those things out there don't have heartbeats…shit why didn't I think of that, to check for…. of course it's alive…I go….not infected" Owen finally said as Gwen started to cry and Rhys rushed to hug her with open glee.

"Wow missus, blinder!"

Ianto rose and went out to find Crypto who was looking at the last of the light in the sky, night rolling in. Micas voice carried from the open window upstairs as she sang in the bath, unawake of anything wrong.

"Means two things might happen" Ianto said as he sat next to his friend and placed a hand on his back, soothingly stroking, "Either this thing has passed and we get a healthy little baby or when born the first breath will turn it and all will be lost."

" _Unless he operates while it is still attached by the cord"_ Crypto said softly, turning to watch Jack approach _, "We cannot assume safety yet."_

"No, I agree" Jack grunted as he sat on the other side of Ianto and his hand found Ianto's lower back, also a comforting rub, "Either he operates in-utero or once it is born and still has a chance or we see how the chips fall."

" _It is all a gamble Captain"_

"Yes, it is Captain" Jack agreed with a sigh.

.

.

.

Since you asked...now you all know


	4. Chapter 4

4

Gwen was now in 'Victim mode' as she simpered and wept on the sofa, Rhys beside himself as he clung to her with delight and as Ianto entered the house he knew a smack down was approaching as Suzie frowned from the corner of the room.

"I am just….just saying" Gwen said with a hitch in her voice like she was so overcome the words might not make it out, his hackles rising as he watched her perform like a trained seal for her audience of annoyed teammates, "My baby will need room."

"What wondrous thing have we missed now?" Jack asked as he followed Ianto and when Ianto sat in the old chair he chose the arm of it, his arm over the back in a predatory move showing a possessiveness he didn't even know he was exuding. The message was clear. This is mine folks.

"Gwen wants to move to somewhere bigger and safer for the baby" Owen said calmly.

"Oh" Ianto blinked as he looked at her, noting her satisfied look of smug superiority as she looked around his house like it was beneath her, "OK. If you want, I know there are several homesteads about the place…just pick and I will help you move gladly."

She stared at him mutely, then her eyes widened, "No, all of us. We need to stick together. I will need protecting!"

Ianto blinked then let his head fall back to look at the ceiling as he counted to ten in his head, "I already have one to protect and she is my first priority, sorry if I've not have a t-shirt made, not a lot of places open this time of apocalypse. Let me be clear here, I am not leaving my home for someone I hardly know when I am safe here with Mica."

Ianto's voice hadn't changed pitch or tone, his smile still there but for some reason everyone in the room felt a chill form the unspoken threat. He was not leaving, do as you fucking please.

" _I like it here"_

"Me too Cryp" Ianto said softly, "I've memories here, good ones. Rhiannon and I grew up here … school holidays, Christmases…when me Mam died this is where we came to grieve. I sat out there up on the windmill crying so no one could see. I own this land, this place… it owns me too. I would not feel right just abandoning it, not when we've just spent all this time bloody fixing the fence lines Gwen, be serious here."

"But…but…" Gwen's eyes narrowed, "What about Mica. Somewhere more defended, safer for her. You want to risk her for the sake of…photos you can bring with?"

Ianto knew he was starting to bristle and Jack pulled him back with a glare, "Stop it. The life in your stomach not yet even here does not deserve more than the one upstairs…pulling the plug by the sound of it."

Ianto rose "I'll go see to her, I might say something…nasty and I do not want to be nasty when it should be a celebration, a good day and a new life….not my stomach churning."

Ianto left the room and Jack let his arm fall from the back of the chair to clasp his hands together in his lap, "Look, Ianto has his own agenda, his own promises to keep. He's right, plenty of places you and Rhys can go to. Walkie-talkie communication, we can have daily visits…whatever. But do not push him, if he ever decides to leave it will be because he sees the purpose in doing so, do not push him Gwen."

She slumped, "I thought you were already in his bed, no need to baby him."

"Exactly" Jack rose, angry as well, "Shame you seem to think you need babying when you should be the one being fucking grown up right now."

"Let's just have something to eat and calm down" Rhys suggested as he saw things going south real quick.

Jack stared at Gwen then said softly, "I will take plates up and we will eat in our room tonight, MY family needs time to process this change."

Owen nodded as he watched, not used to seeing Jack vulnerable and he saw that Ianto meant more to him than he had thought, the end of the world and Jack finally found the reason why he kept saving it.

The Gods are cruel pricks sometimes.

Then Owen looked at Toshiko and a small voice whispered that perhaps if the baby is born healthy….others might too.

 _Not the end of the world after all … more like a reset?_

Owen turned and saw Crypto looking at him and smiled as he realised it had been Crypto trying to comfort him then realised he had heard him, the smile widening as this meant Crypto had accepted him as pack.

 _Right._

Yeah.

 _Just a new beginning._

Owen could live with that.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Owen found Ianto in the kitchen, placing the empty plates down as Rhys silently accepted them. It was clear the two men were not sure how to interact after the meeting.

"What was that movie Nic Cage did?" Owen said as he took a seat at the table, "Yan, I bet you know the one. He was flying a plane and passengers disappeared…come on."

"Left Behind" Ianto said as he turned to face him, "The rapture one."

"That's it!" Owen pointed, "This is sort of like that but when they took the good souls they left zombies instead."

Ianto blinked, then laughed softly, "Well … that's nice. Thanks Owen. Nice to know my sinning saved me from all that harp music."

"Yeah well … I always thought that if there is a heaven and a hell I wanna be where the party is, not all that shitty harp music anyway" Owen shrugged as Ianto laughed and leaned over to address him.

"You know Owen, I really like you!"

Owen was surprised at the honest admission and smiled as Ianto then turned to look at what Rhys was preparing, soon helping as the silence worked to soothe the annoyance between the two men, the entire thing with Gwen putting everyone on edge.

Finally Rhys spoke. "I don't wanna leave."

"I wouldn't think so" Ianto agreed happily, "Was thinking though. We could convert the smaller barn into a room or…build on or…well … look for a caravan or something?"

Rhys looked at Owen who was rising with a finger pointed at Ianto like some old medicine man canting a spell, "You've got something there Toto!"

"He has?" Jack asked as he entered to find the weird scene.

"Back on the freeway … some of those big campers…ya know tha tourist things with built in toilets and showers and shit."

"Good to have toilets then" Ianto drolled. "All that shit"

Owen ignored him as he now addressed Jack, "A couple of those would do … one for a medical station that can be portable in case we need to move in a hurry or go on a recon overnight … one for recons so we can sleep in it and not have to go out into Biterville Land."

"Biterville" Ianto snorted softly to Rhys, "good one."

Owen continued "I mean … room. We need room. Some of those house buses are livable homes, right? Why they are called mobile homes. Some even have fucking fires and …sorry…bloody fires and stoves. Working kitchens so … it would create more space and we can stay in this perimeter. I like it here, good soil and it's safe."

"From biters" Ianto said softly, "we need to hide from the non-biters too… those more likely to be shooters."

"Agreed" Jack nodded, "We plant trees along the roadsides, and we hide the driveway…we proactively hide from those still moving around in survival mode like us."

"Yeah" Owen was pumped, ready to go.

"At the meeting" Jack said as he headed to the back door, "You bring it up Owen, your idea you should be the one to get Kudos for it. Great, there will be some out there on the freeway, also rental places in the town nearby I guess."

"There was a rental company behind the cinema" Ianto said as he nodded, "usually some there if we can't' get some already on the road."

"Already on the rod might be better, already stocked with food and stuff, right?" Rhys asked.

"Possible biters inside" Owen reminded, "catch 22"

"As is life" Ianto followed Jack out and they stood looking out over the veggie patch.

"I need that tunnel house up by the barn soon, get the winter lettuces in" Ianto said softly as he leaned against Jack, "we need to let Owen do the freeway check, he will worry about people trapped and his need to forage will be fixed … maybe let Suzie go? She's getting ready to shoot Gwen."

Jack grunted, then sighed before answering, "You want the town."

"Yeah. A baby. She needs vitamins and stuff, there is a Mother Care there, doctor surgery for Owen and a lot of survival gear that will go by others if we don't get in first."

"Really?" Jack asked "Gonna be cutthroat?"

"Have Mimi, another on the way. Gods, we have to maintain. Also … the welder is shit, need a better one. There is a lovely one I saw in the window of the Farmer's Co-op last time I went through … some supplies there we will surely need." Ianto rubbed his face, "After all, we are not the only survivors and we can't treat it like a larder, going back now and then for things. I think we have to be quick and nasty, take what isn't nailed down and work it all out later."

" _Agreed"_

Crypto was sitting by the raised beds and he nodded.

A mission.

 _Excellent._


	6. Chapter 6

6

"But … what if someone follows you back?" Gwen asked, "Would it be safe?"

"We will do everything right" Jack was saying with only a foot taping under the table to show his annoyance, "You will stay here and look after Mica for us."

Jack knew Ianto didn't like that and didn't look at him as he used her as an incentive and Gwen lit up, "Really? Oh, of course. We can do some colouring in and stuff. Maybe some scrapbooking, lots of old magazines to cut up and do some collage. I always liked that when I was a little girl."

"Sounds good love, maybe that would be some good practice" Rhys nodded happily as he saw his wife finally pleased about something.

"I liked it as a little girl too" Jack said with a roll of his eye as he saw Ianto relax and knew he was not in trouble for Mica, Ianto knew Gwen would not leave the house now she was comfortable.

"So ... me and Suzie take the highway, Tosh here on Coms with Gwen and Rhys to watch the princess, Ianto, Jack and Crypto take the town" Owen pointed at each person as he spoke, "We go at first light spend the day doing shit and get back before dusk so Mica isn't scared that we have all been chomped up. Also, I will be bloody hungry and that roast Rhys talked about sounds yum."

"Sounds good to me too" Jack agreed, "One day, only in daylight. We take what we can, leave what we can't. If we need more we do a second run in a few days but we have a day to rest after this is done, also to talk and share what we saw."

"Sounds good, we also need time to go over what we actually got because there might be double ups and holes" Suzie pointed out, "Also ... weapons. Let's not be to pious, any weapons, we will need. I don't care if this thing is not airborne anymore like we are hoping, these fucking Crawlers are still out there and will be until they rot."

"I agree with Suzie, weapons have to be as high on the list as food" Ianto nodded, "We want things for Mica, the baby, us… but we have to consider the long run. Is this going to be a month or two? I am picking at least a year before they really dissipate and then we still have those unaffected. Martial law? What is there really still out there by way of government?"

"Yes" Jack leaned back, "I would suggest we treat this as a 'no law' situation and it's every man for himself. We have to be dominant even if we don't like ourselves. It might mean the difference between surviving and stuffing up."

"Everyone please write your clothing sizes in my notebook I will leave out, also anything you need so if I see it I will know to grab it" Ianto said as he nodded to show he was done and Jack tapped the table.

"I suggest a meeting at dawn for any last comments or advice we might remember in the wee small hours, then we get stuck in" Jack said as he rose and followed Ianto up to explain to Mica why she had to be a big brave girl tomorrow and they knew she would be sleeping in their bed tonight.

Crypto following for moral support.

.

.

.

.

So … next one is the behind the scenes talk between the team members about Gwen.


End file.
